Les's Reviews > Echo

Ideally one reviews books in a vacuum, where that book stands alone.Unfortunately I am not ideal and reading this book immediately after The Night Stalker https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..., wasn't a positive experience.

It made me wonder if the the UK police forces do any kind of psychological screening of their candidates? because Kate Redman is a nutter. She has more baggage than a plane load of Saudi princesses, she is quick to judge, slow to forgive, eager to escape confrontation and pretty much a complete mess. She really isn't mentally fit to be a police officer. she zones out during conversations, is totally paranoid that people are either talking about her, plotting against her or punishing her. She is estranged from her mother and is furious when a journalist gets her mother back in her life. Mom is dying of cancer and has a secret about a sex ring at a girl's care home in the early 1970's which ties into a body that was recently found that had been buried in the 70's She was never reported missing and her family never looked for her. [Is that normal? I am an only but I cannot imagine my child saying I am moving away, never hearing from him and not getting the least bit curious]. As in most of these book you will be hard pressed to find anyone normal. Every girl and woman has been abused somehow, or they are tragically poor, a low grade criminal or corrupt.

When Kate meets Tin (yes his name is TIN) the journalist they begin to form a fledgling relationship. When she mentions that she is attending her friend's wedding and Tin says "I've never been to a gay wedding" She immediately wonders if he's homophobic. Seriously?? I've never been to a gay wedding, or a Jewish wedding, or a Greek Orthodox wedding. What does that say about me?

And the investigation eventually leads back to the police department; albeit in the 1970s. And the powers that be want to stifle the case. But of course Kate won't and continues to investigate on her own with the assistance of the journalist. Meanwhile her mother dies, while in hospice care and Kate falls apart. (Pro tip - People in hospice care are sent there to die, it really shouldn't be too shocking) The cse is solved and everyone goes to the funeral.